Dynamic fluid delivery system with compensation

• US 20050284622A1
• Filed: 06/28/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Nichols, Steven C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,320,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/205
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/76 by means responsive to temperature, e.g. bimetal springs
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1934 each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means

Abstract

Flow is managed within a fluid delivery system such as an HVAC system. In one illustrative embodiment, a method is provided for controlling the airflow and thus the heat delivery rate to a room serviced by an HVAC system. The HVAC system includes a duct system that is in fluid communication with a room through a damper or the like. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an HVAC system having a plurality of zones, wherein each zone includes one or more zone dampers, the method comprising the steps of:

determining an open/closed state of at least some of the zone dampers; and

adjusting an open time for at least selected zone dampers based on the state of the at least some of the zone dampers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting step adjusts the open time based on how many of the zone dampers are in an open state relative to how many of the zone dampers are in a closed state.

3. A method of regulating an HVAC system that includes a duct system having a damper, the method comprising the steps of:

opening the damper; and

leaving the damper open for an open time period, wherein the open time period is dependent on a heat delivery rate through the damper.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the HVAC system includes a multiple speed blower, and the heat delivery rate through the damper is dependent upon a speed of the blower.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the HVAC system includes at least one additional damper, and the heat delivery rate through the damper depends upon whether the at least one additional damper is open or closed.

6. A method of controlling thermal energy delivery to a zone within an HVAC system having two or more zones, wherein airflow to at least selected zones is controlled by one or more zone dampers, and wherein the thermal energy provided by the HVAC system to each of the zones is dependent on the open/closed state of at least some of the other zone dampers, the method comprising the steps of:

opening a zone damper;

leaving the zone damper open for an open time period, wherein the open time period is dependent on the state of one or more other zone dampers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the zone damper includes an initial open time period, and the initial open time period is reduced by an amount that is dependent on the state of one or more other zone dampers, resulting in the open time period.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the zone damper corresponds to a particular zone, and the particular zone has a thermal demand, wherein the initial open time period is dependent on the thermal demand of the particular zone.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the zone damper is left open until a counter counts to a predetermined value

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined value is set such that the counter counts to the predetermined value in the open time period.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the counter counts by a counter increment value, wherein the counter increment value is set such that the counter counts to the predetermined value in the open time period.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the counter counts by a counter increment value once during each counter period, wherein the counter period is set such that the counter counts to the predetermined value in the open time period.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the counter is incremented.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the counter is decremented.

15. A method of managing an HVAC system having two or more zones, wherein each zone includes at least one zone damper, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a measure of thermal demand for a zone;

determining a measure of available thermal energy for the zone; and

operating a damper within the zone in accordance with the thermal demand and the available thermal energy.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the measure of the available thermal energy of the zone is dependant at least in part on the number of open zone dampers within the HVAC system and the total number of zone dampers within the HVAC system.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of periodically recalculating the measure of thermal demand in the zone.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of periodically recalculating the measure of available thermal energy for the zone.

19. A method of dynamically controlling an HVAC system having two or more zones, each zone having one or more zone dampers, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a zone from the two or more zones;

determining a measure of thermal demand for the selected zone;

determining a measure of available thermal energy for the selected zone; and

calculating an operational profile for the selected zone based on the measure of thermal demand and the measure of available thermal energy;

wherein the operational profile provides open and close times for the one or more zone dampers for the selected zone.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising a subsequent step of operating the selected zone in accordance with the corresponding operational profile.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the calculating step comprises adjusting the open and close times to accommodate the available thermal energy for the selected zone.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of periodically recalculating the measure of thermal demand for the selected zone.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of periodically recalculating the operational profile for the selected zone.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the HVAC system includes a forced air heating system.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the HVAC system includes a forced air cooling system.

26. A method of controlling thermal energy delivery in a system comprising a plurality of zones, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a zone based on its thermal demand;

calculating a zone open time based on the thermal demand of the zone;

determining a status of each of the zones within the multi-zone system;

calculating a compensation value based on the status of each of the zones; and

adjusting the zone open time as a function of the compensation value.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the selecting step comprises selecting a zone having a greatest thermal demand.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the calculating step includes calculating the compensation value based, at least in part, on a total number of zones versus a total number of open zones.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the adjusting step adjusts the zone open time based, at least in part, on the zone open time and the compensation value.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the adjusting step adjusts the zone open time based, at least in part, on the zone open time divided by the compensation value.

31. A method for controlling the opening and closing of a damper in an HVAC system, wherein the damper is coupled to a duct that delivers air to the damper, and wherein the duct is fluidly connected to one or more other dampers and/or valves that can assume open and closed positions, the method comprising the steps of:

opening the damper for a length of time;

closing the damper after the length of time; and

wherein the length of time is dependent on the position of at least one of the other dampers and/or valves that is fluidly connected to the duct.

32. A method of controlling an HVAC system that includes a duct system, wherein the duct system has a pressure when the HVAC system is operating, the method comprising the steps of:

activating the HVAC system to supply condition air into the duct system; and

continuing to operate the HVAC system in a continuous manner for an operating time period, wherein the operating time period is dependent, at least in part, on the pressure in the duct system.